30-mother holle-第1章

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MOTHER　HOLLE



ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　widow　who　had　two　daughters；

one　of　them　was　pretty　and　clever；　and　the　other　ugly　and

lazy。　But　as　the　ugly　one　was　her　own　daughter；　she　liked　her　far

the　best　of　the　two；　and　the　pretty　one　had　to　do　all　the　work　of　the

house；　and　was　in　fact　the　regular　maid　of　all　work。　Every　day　she

had　to　sit　by　a　well　on　the　high　road；　and　spin　till　her　fingers　were

so　sore　that　they　often　bled。　One　day　some　drops　of　blood　fell　on

her　spindle；　so　she　dipped　it　into　the　well　meaning　to　wash　it；　but；　as

luck　would　have　it；　it　dropped　from　her　hand　and　fell　right　in。　She

ran　weeping　to　her　stepmother；　and　told　her　what　had　happened；

but　she　scolded　her　harshly；　and　was　so　merciless　in　her　anger　that

she　said：



‘Well；　since　you've　dropped　the　spindle　down；　you　must　just　go

after　it　yourself；　and　don't　let　me　see　your　face　again　until　you　bring

it　with　you。'



Then　the　poor　girl　returned　to　the　well；　and　not　knowing　what

she　was　about；　in　the　despair　and　misery　of　her　heart　she　sprang

into　the　well　and　sank　to　the　bottom。　For　a　time　she　lost　all

consciousness；　and　when　she　came　to　herself　again　she　was　lying　in　a

lovely　meadow；　with　the　sun　shining　brightly　overhead；　and　a

thousand　flowers　blooming　at　her　feet。　She　rose　up　and　wandered

through　this　enchanted　place；　till　she　came　to　a　baker's　oven　full　of

bread；　and　the　bread　called　out　to　her　as　she　passed：



‘Oh！　take　me　out；　take　me　out；　or　I　shall　be　burnt　to　a　cinder。　I

am　quite　done　enough。'



So　she　stepped　up　quickly　to　the　oven　and　took　out　all　the　loaves

one　after　the　other。　Then　she　went　on　a　little　farther　and　came　to

a　tree　laden　with　beautiful　rosy…cheeked　apples；　and　as　she　passed

by　it　called　out：



‘Oh　I　shake　me；　shake　me；　my　apples　are　all　quite　ripe。'



She　did　as　she　was　asked；　and　shook　the　tree　till　the　apples　fell

like　rain　and　none　were　left　hanging。　When　she　had　gathered　them

all　up　into　a　heap　she　went　on　her　way　again；　and　came　at　length

to　a　little　house；　at　the　door　of　which　sat　an　old　woman。　The　old

dame　had　such　large　teeth　that　the　girl　felt　frightened　and　wanted

to　run　away；　but　the　old　woman　called　after　her：



‘What　are　you　afraid　of；　dear　child？　Stay　with　me　and　be　my

little　maid；　and　if　you　do　your　work　well　I　will　reward　you

handsomely；　but　you　must　be　very　careful　how　you　make　my　bedyou

must　shake　it　well　till　the　feathers　fly；　then　people　in　the　world

below　say　it　snows；　for　I　am　Mother　Holle。'



She　spoke　so　kindly　that　the　girl　took　heart　and　agreed　readily

to　enter　her　service。　She　did　her　best　to　please　the　old　woman；

and　shook　her　bed　with　such　a　will　that　the　feathers　flew　about　like

snow…flakes；　so　she　led　a　very　easy　life；　was　never　scolded；　and

lived　on　the　fat　of　the　land。　But　after　she　had　been　some　time

with　Mother　Holle　she　grew　sad　and　depressed；　and　at　first　she

hardly　knew　herself　what　was　the　matter。　At　last　she　discovered

that　she　was　homesick；　so　she　went　to　Mother　Holle　and　said：



‘I　know　I　am　a　thousand　times　better　off　here　than　I　ever　was

in　my　life　before；　but　notwithstanding；　I　have　a　great　longing　to　go

home；　in　spite　of　all　your　kindness　to　me。　I　can　remain　with　you　no

longer；　but　must　return　to　my　own　people。'



‘Your　desire　to　go　home　pleases　me；'　said　Mother　Holle；　‘and

because　you　have　served　me　so　faithfully；　I　will　show　you　the　way

back　into　the　world　myself。'



So　she　took　her　by　the　hand　and　led　her　to　an　open　door；　and　as

the　girl　passed　through　it　there　fell　a　heavy　shower　of　gold　all　over

her；　till　she　was　covered　with　it　from　top　to　toe。



‘That's　a　reward　for　being　such　a　good　little　maid；'　said　Mother

Holle；　and　she　gave　her　the　spindle　too　that　had　fallen　into　the

well。　Then　she　shut　the　door；　and　the　girl　found　herself　back　in

the　world　again；　not　far　from　her　own　house；　and　when　she　came　to　the

courtyard　the　old　hen；　who　sat　on　the　top　of　the　wall；　called　out：





‘Click；　clock；　clack；

Our　golden　maid's　come　back。'





Then　she　went　in　to　her　stepmother；　and　as　she　had　returned

covered　with　gold　she　was　welcomed　home。



She　proceeded　to　tell　all　that　had　happened　to　her；　and　when

the　mother　heard　how　she　had　come　by　her　riches；　she　was　most

anxious　to　secure　the　same　luck　for　her　own　idle；　ugly　daughter；

so　she　told　her　to　sit　at　the　well　and　spin。　In　order　to　make　her

spindle　bloody；　she　stuck　her　hand　into　a　hedge　of　thorns　and　pricked

her　finger。　Then　she　threw　the　spindle　into　the　well；　and　jumped

in　herself　after　it。　Like　her　sister　she　came　to　the　beautiful　meadow；

and　followed　the　same　path。　When　she　reached　the　baker's　oven

the　bread　called　out　as　before：



‘Oh！　take　me　out；　take　me　out；　or　I　shall　be　burnt　to　a　cinder。

I　am　quite　done　enough。'



But　the　good…for…nothing　girl　answered：



‘A　pretty　joke；　indeed；　just　as　if　I　should　dirty　my　hands　for　you！'



And　on　she　went。　Soon　she　came　to　the　apple　tree；　which　cried：



‘Oh　！　shake　me；　shake　me；　my　apples　are　all　quite　ripe。'



‘I'll　see　myself　farther；'　she　replied；　‘one　of　them　might　fall　on

my　head。'



And　so　she　pursued　her　way。　When　she　came　to　Mother　Holle's

house　she　wasn't　the　least　afraid；　for　she　had　been　warned　about

her　big　teeth；　and　she　readily　agreed　to　become　her　maid。　The　first

day　she　worked　very　hard；　and　did　all　her　mistress　told　her；　for　she

thought　of　the　gold　she　would　give　her；　but　on　the　second　day　she

began　to　be　lazy；　and　on　the　third　she　wouldn't　even　get　up　in　the

morning。　She　didn't　make　Mother　Holle's　bed　as　she　ought　to

have　done；　and　never　shook　it　enough　to　make　the　feathers　fly。　So

her　mistress　soon　grew　weary　of　her；　and　dismissed　her；　much　to　the

lazy　creature's　delight。



‘For　now；'　she　thought；　‘the　shower　of　golden　rain　will　come。'



Mother　Holle　led　her　to　the　same　door　as　she　had　done　her　sister；

but　when　she　passed　through　it；　instead　of　the　gold　rain　a　kettle　full

of　pitch　came　showering　over　her。



‘That's　a　reward　for　your　service；'　said　Mother　Holle；　and　she

closed　the　door　behind　her。



So　the　lazy　girl　came　home　all　covered　with　pitch；　and　when　the

old　hen　on　the　top　of　the　wall　saw　her；　it　called　out：





‘Click；　clock；　clack；

Our　dirty　slut's　come　back。'





But　the　pitch　remained　sticking　to　her；　and　never　as　long　as　she

lived　could　it　be　got　off。＇26＇



＇26＇　Grimm。